Building in Boston declared ''structurally unsafe": Residents evacuated

A residential building located in 454-464 Hanover Street, North End, Boston, was declared unsafe.

The 5-story building hosts 24 apartments, all of them evacuated on Wednesday, 13 of March, 2019, after an alert was issued. According to Boston Inspectional Services, an engineering company inspected the building to find out that there are "significant structural concerns" therefore it is "in poor condition and is not safe for occupancy." In particular, experts stated that some steel beams were deteriorated and a few bricks had fallen.

"The potential for a catastrophic failure of the building due to the failure of the deteriorated condition of steel beams does exist," the report of the firm mentions. 

The building in now under restoration. Engineers are trying to stabilize the construction but their task is difficult. "I was stunned and feel bad for the people who got displaced," Boston native Tom Bielenda stated. "That's gonna be quite a difficult fix. It's not gonna be overnight," he added.

Erin Flanagan, a local that lives in the neighborhood, was surprised but the building's condition. "I think it's pretty wild, especially living right across the street. I'd be absolutely terrified just to walk over and not be able to go into my own house that I've been in that could just fall down," he commented.

Boston has many old buildings and a large proportion of them may develop severe structural flaws. According to Buddy Christopher, commissioner of Inspectional Services, citizens should accept the responsibility to have their residences evaluated at least once a year.